Volleyball Falls in Five To Spartans

MIAMI SHORES, Fla.— The Barry University volleyball team fell in five sets (29-27, 25-20, 25-17, 23-25, 15-11) to the fifth-ranked Tampa Spartans in the Health & Sports Center on Friday night. The Bucs took sets one and four, and lost in two, three and five.

In the first set the Bucs established a quick rhythm, taking a 14-10 lead in the early going. The Bucs combined for eight kills to help them to the four point lead out of the gate. Yet the Spartans (14-3, 6-1 SSC) fought back, taking nine of the next 14 points to tie it at 19-19.

Facing set point, 24-23, Stefanie Sveiven earned a kill to tie it at 24-24. The teams went back and forth through 27-27 before a Tampa attack error and a Sveiven ace gave the Bucs the 29-27 win in set one.

The Spartans held a two point lead through the majority of sets two and three before turning it on in the end. In set two the Spartans were up 19-17 and scored six of the final nine points to take the 25-20 win. In set three, Tampa led 15-13 before going on a 10-4 run to take the 25-15 win.

In set four Tampa took early leads of 8-6 and 10-8. Their last lead of the set would come at 12-11 when Danielle Selkridge earned a kill. An Ady Alcantara kill tied it at 12-12, and the Bucs either led or were tied throughout the remainder of the set.

Up 24-22, the Spartans and Bucs traded kills before a Julia Teixeira blast down the line gave the Bucs the win in set four 25-23.

Tampa took an early lead in set five, 7-4, and maintained it to the end, taking the set 15-11.

Teixeira led all hitters with 25 kills. Sveiven added 16 and Alcantara had 15. The Bucs hit .255 for the evening compared to Tampa’s .310. Libby Walter had 54 assists while Amie Manke and Walter had 18 digs apiece on defense.

The Bucs return to action on Sunday, October 8 when they take on Southern New Hampshire at Palm Beach Atlantic at 1:00 pm.